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American Dream was first described by John Winthrop
The history of the American Dream can be traced back to when the puritans came to the America and tried to gain their religious freedom. In 1630, a speech known as the "city upon a hill" was delivered by John Winthrop to the puritan settlers who traveled with him to Massachusetts. It is true that he didn't describe his belief as a "dream", he still talked about an ideal nation that gives all the people equal opportunities to become successful through using their greatest efforts. [1] -
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution allowed rural Americans to leave a life of simplicity to join the big city bustle. The Industrial Revolution was the transition to new manufacturing processes. This transition included implementing hand production methods to machines,new chemical manufacturing and iron production processes, the increasing use of steam power, the development of machine tools and the rise of the factory system. Hope for prosperity in these cities newly ignited dream of many Americans. [2] -
The Declaration of Independence
Thomas Jefferson emphasized that all Americans - expect those that were enslaved by colonists - were entitled to “all men are created equal” and are given the right of “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” in the United States. Although the term American Dream has not yet been coined, this historic document suggests the beginnings of a later developed national philosophy. [3] -
Manifest Destiny
It expressed the belief that it was Anglo-Saxon Americans’ mission to expand their civilization and institutions across the breadth of North America. This expansion would involve not merely enlarging the territorial but the progress of liberty and individual economic opportunity as well.[4] -
The Great Depression
The Great Depression lasted from 1929 to 1939, and was the worst economic downturn in the history of the industrialized world. Beginning with the stock market crash and wiped out millions of investors. Over the next several years, consumer spending and investment dropped causing steep declines in production and employment. By 1933, when the Great Depression reached its lowest point, some 15 million Americans were unemployed and nearly half the country’s banks had failed. [5] -
James Trulow Adams writes about the "American Dream"
James Truslow Adams wrote a book called The Epic of America which he wrote of “a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement…regardless of fortuitous circumstances of birth or position”. Even though, this definition was coined during the Great Depression, Americans still believed that the economy would recover, and everyone would become prosperous without the social classes interfering [6]. -
The New Deal
President Roosevelt launched a wide array of programs to help the impoverished improve their lives. These programs include Social Security, unemployment insurance and federal agricultural subsidies, for instance–are still with us today. These program not only regulated some of the questionable policies it also brought coalition to the American people during the Great Depression.[7] -
American consumerism on the rise
After the Great Depression in the 1930s and after World War II, the factories that were manufacturing war-related goods were converted into making civilians products such as appliances and automobiles. The unemployment rate at dropped to 1.2% and people were that had felt deprived for so long began spending their wages.[8] -
The Great Recession
The Great Recession began with a trillion dollar housing bust that forced millions of homeowners into foreclosure. At the same time, many Americans lost either their jobs entirely or lower wages to support families. The consumers stopped spending and business investments dried up. [9] -
President Obama addresses American Dream
A speech from American President Barack Obama in which he briefly speaks about the American dream. Link video -
Time Magazine cover is "American Dream Still Alive?"
The American Dream is pictured on the cover of Time Magazine, pointing to a growing concern regarding the declining ability of Americans to accomplish the American Dream because of the rise in costs for goods such as healthcare, college and housing and incomes that have remained the same.[10] -
Poll suggests American believe American Dream is impossible
A national poll conducted by YouGov in August 2013, when asked "Do you think that the American Dream has become impossible for most people to achieve?", Americans are split with 41% saying the American dream is impossible for most to achieve and 38% saying it is still possible.[11] -
Redefining the American dream
The American Dream was once an aspiration all Americans wanted to achieve. The American Dream is not achievable by most American people and must be redefined in order to give all Americans a purpose for working hard and providing for their families.
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